THE UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
Minutes of the meeting of the Steering Committee held on 27 October 2008
Present:
Vice-Chancellor,
Deputy Vice-Chancellor,
Professor S Bassnett,
Professor L Bridges,
Professor S Bruzzi,
Professor R Higgott,
Professor M Smith,
Professor H Thomas,
Professor M Whitby,
Mr S Thomson
Apologies:
Professor Y Carter, Professor K Lamberts, Professor R Lindley
In Attendance:
Registrar, Deputy Registrar, Academic Registrar, Director of Finance, Director of
Estates from item 77/08-09, Head of Governance Support Services, Administrative
Officer (Governance), Senior Assistant Registrar (Management Information and
Planning) and Director of Student Admissions and Recruitment for item 77/08-09,
Senior Assistant Registrar (Teaching Quality) for item 78/08-09.
73/08-09
Minutes
RESOLVED:
That the minutes of the meeting held on 20 October 2008 be approved.
74/08-09
Business Improvement (minute 50/08-09 refers)
REPORTED: (by the Vice-Chancellor)
That items received ‘For Information Only’ had been circulated solely electronically via the
dedicated files.warwick web space as resolved at the previous meeting of the Committee.
75/08-09
Report on Invigilation (minute 55/08-09)
REPORTED: (by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research: Science and Medicine))
That whilst it was clear that cost was one of the key drivers in not implementing changes to
the current process at this time, the situation should be monitored and alternative approaches
considered when it became feasible to do so.
76/08-09
Monash and Singapore Visits
REPORTED: (by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research: Science and Medicine))
That recent visits to Monash University in Australia and NTU in Singapore had provided a
number of possibilities for collaboration, noting that Monash had identified Warwick as its
preferred partner in the UK.
RESOLVED:
That further details of the partnership opportunities at Monash and NTU be considered at a
future meeting of the Committee.
77/08-09
Early Student Statistics
CONSIDERED:
A report from the Senior Assistant Registrar (Management Information and Planning) and the
Director of Student Admissions and Recruitment on undergraduate and postgraduate
enrolments against projections and the resulting impact on fee income (SC.64/08-09).
REPORTED: (by the Senior Assistant Registrar (Management Information and Planning)
(a)
That overall recruitment and fee income was higher than projections considered by
the Committee during the summer, noting that:
(i)
Undergraduate numbers were up against plan, particularly overseas students
intakes.
(ii) Postgraduate Taught numbers were predominantly better than projected figures,
including the Masters Courses in the Arts Faculty with reduced fees.
(iii) Home/EU Postgraduate Research enrolments had exceeded the previous
projections considered by the Committee .
(iv) Overall overseas research intakes were lower than planned and also lower than
the comparable point in the previous academic year.
(By the Dean of Warwick Business School)
(b)
That the delay in receipt of visas by WBS students could be a cause of the high no –
show rate in some areas.
RESOLVED:
That the report be approved, noting that any significant variances against plan would be
explored in forthcoming 5 year planning meetings with departments.
78/08-09
QAA Overseas Audit
CONSIDERED:
A report from the Senior Assistant Registrar (Teaching Quality) on the QAA’s recent visit to
explore Warwick Manufacturing Group’s link with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII),
including a draft case study compiled by the QAA incorporating the University’s requested
revisions (SC.61/08-09).
REPORTED: (by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning/International Affairs))
That the draft QAA-compiled case study contained commercially sensitive information which
should not be published and that the University was in a strong position to ensure that the
QAA accepted the University’s changes to avoid specific figures being released.
RESOLVED:
That the letter and draft case study be submitted by the Senior Assistant Registrar (Teaching
Quality) as set out in SC.61/08-09 with the University’s amendments incorporated, noting the
Committee’s wish that a guarantee of no-publication should be sought from the QAA in the
event that the changes proposed by the University were not accepted.
2
79/08-09
HEFCE Reports: Sustaining Science and Other Key Vulnerable Subjects in HE
RECEIVED:
A set of reports circulated by HEFCE outlining its approach to sustaining strategically
important and vulnerable subjects (SIVs) (SC.67/08-09 and SC.68/08-09).
REPORTED: (by the Registrar)
(a)
That the reports did not appear to present any significant changes to previous
provisions or guidance, noting that the University had already altered its planning
assumptions to include the extended funding for SIVs.
(By the Academic Registrar)
80/08-09
(b)
That, whilst the planning forecasts had been adjusted, the committed amount of
funding for 2010/11 was not clear, noting that the University had confirmation up to
2009/10 of the amount of allocated funding.
(c)
That it would be important to monitor the position of Mathematics as a subject under
this funding given the statements about seeking to encourage sustainability in the
long term.
Appointments to Committees of the Senate
RESOLVED: (on behalf of the Senate)
That Professor J Labbe (English and Comparative Literary Studies) be appointed to the
membership of the Board of Undergraduate Studies on behalf of the Board of Graduate
Studies.
81/08-09
China Visit
REPORTED: (by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning/International Affairs))
(a)
That the Director of the International Office had recently visited the University’s
recruitment offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and South Korea to inform a
review of recruitment provision in this area.
(b)
That visits to Fudan University and University of International Business and
Economics in Beijing presented opportunities for partnerships, noting that academic
colleagues at Warwick would need to be engaged to drive initiatives forward.
(c)
That the Director of the International Office was investigating a potential recruitment
opportunity at Expo2010 to be held in Shanghai.
RESOLVED:
That a full report outlining partnerships or recruitment opportunities be considered by the
Committee at a future meeting.
82/08-09
UUK I-Note I/08/89: Introduction of ID Cards for International Students
RECEIVED:
An UUK Information Note updating the Committee on the new requirement for international
students to obtain identity cards (SC.62/08-09).
3
83/08-09
HEFCE Report: HEIF 4 Institutional Strategies - Overview and Summary
RECEIVED:
A HEFCE report providing an overview of Higher Education institutions’ strategies for round
four of the Higher
Education Innovation Fund (HEIF 4), together with HEFCE’s commentary thereon (SC.63/0809).
84/08-09
University Response to the DIUS Science and Society Consultation
RECEIVED:
The University response to the DIUS consultation ‘ A Vision for Science and Society’
(SC.60/08-09).
85/08-09
University Response to Kings Fund Consultation on Centre of Excellence for Workforce
Strategy and Planning
RECEIVED:
The University response to the Department of Health survey conducted by the Kings Fund on
proposals to establish a centre of excellence for workforce strategy and planning (SC.66/0809).
kms/jf/steershare/minutes2008-09/Oct08/27Oct08
4